US Newspaper Reviews
Page 5 of 9

Touring with the Moscow Festival Ballet
In Los Angeles, CA 1997
Los Angeles Times Review

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By Lewis Segal, Times Dance Critic
Los Angeles Times
1997

Dancing to tape at the Probst Theater in Thousand Oaks, the eight year old Moscow Festival Ballet isplayed uniformly excellent training and coaching in a four-part program that kept emphasizing what the company doesn't have; world-class star power.

Unfortunately, you could argue that star power is the only justification for restaging Anton Dolin's feeble "Le Pas de Quatre" (created for four of the greatest ballerinas of the 19th century) or Alberto Alonoso's inept "Carmen Suite" (a dance drama formerly owned by both Alicia Alonso and Maya Plisetsakaya).

Certainly the exemplary skill and care of casts led by the versatile Elena Radchenko (as Taglioni and Carmen) proved insufficient in these two problematic personality vehicles on Thursday. Only Alexei Kremnev an Don Jose delivered technical and emotional fireworks with enough magnetism to be wholly satisfying, and he looked even more impressive in the evening's triump: a large-scale suite from Marius Petipa's "Paquita".

With Anne Reznik exuding steely nobility in the title role and Maya Fedchenko looking far more authoritative in the final showpiece solo than when playing Destiny in "Carmen," this sampling of Imperial Russian classicism made the company's heritage and capabilities seem equally glorious. The lone male in this version, Kremnev soared with ardor and elegance, but ultimately the performance was a radiant collective achievement.

Executed with diligence but little flair by Tatiana Andreyeva. and Vitaly Zabelin, Nicholas Benozoff's "Esmeralda" completed the program. Besides Radchenko, the stylish "Pas de Quatre" cast included Natalia Kungurtseva, Maria Filipenko and Marina Alexandrova. In "Carmen," Vladimir Gusev none too securely danced Escamillo.